Tourism in the Age of ChatGPT: How to be Found, Recommended and Booked

Intended workshop audience: This workshop is suitable for tourism operators of all sizes, from independent experience providers to larger attractions, who want to understand how AI search is changing visitor behaviour and what practical steps they can take to protect and strengthen their digital presence.

Workshop Description: When a traveller asks ChatGPT where to go in Tasmania, what to do on the Overland Track, or whether there's a hot spring near a particular town, they get a confident, immediate answer. The problem is, that answer isn't always right. And increasingly, it's shaping what visitors choose to do before they ever visit a website or make a booking.

AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google's AI Overviews are fundamentally changing how people research and plan travel. For Tasmanian tourism operators, this shift brings both risk and real opportunity, but the good news is that the basics still matter most and getting them right is within reach for any operator.

In this hands-on workshop, Ionata CEO Martin Anderson breaks down what's actually changing in AI-driven search and what it means for how your business gets found, described and recommended. Drawing on Tasmanian examples including a now-infamous AI hallucination that sent visitors looking for non-existent hot springs, Martin explains how AI decides what to say about your business and what you can do about it.

Joining the conversation is David Hearle, founder of eGuide, an award-winning Tasmanian tours and transfers operator who has been navigating these changes firsthand. Drawing on his own experience, David illustrates practical ways operators can apply these ideas in their own businesses and shares straightforward tips that any operator can act on immediately.

Delegates will leave with five practical actions for making their business visible and accurate in an AI-first world, plus one they can do on their phone before they leave the room.

About Martin - CEO at Ionata

Martin is the CEO of Ionata, a Tasmanian digital studio with over 24 years building digital products for the organisations that define this state's visitor experience.

Ionata's tourism work spans research, experience and conversion, from leading the Tourism Tracer project with the University of Tasmania, to delivering digital platforms for Port Arthur Historic Site and West Coast Wilderness Railway, whose recent Diemen Award win reflects what great digital experience can do for a great Tasmanian story.

As AI tools reshape the way travellers discover, research and book trips, Martin has been tracking what this means for operators and how Tasmanian tourism businesses can ensure they're found, represented accurately, and ready to convert

About David - Founder of eGuide

David Hearle founded eGuide in 2002 as a digital travel guide, building a network of 98 tourism websites including SydneyeGuide.com and BangkokeGuide.com, where search engine optimisation played a key role in the company’s success.

As traveller behaviour evolved and generic travel websites faced growing competition from platforms like Booking.com and expanding online travel content, David recognised the need to adapt. In 2015, he relocated to Tasmania and transformed eGuide into a hands-on tourism business focused on authentic experiences, sustainability, and personalised service.

Today, eGuide is recognised as one of Tasmania’s leading transport and touring operators, earning Gold at the Tasmanian Tourism Awards and Silver at the Australian Tourism Awards in 2025.

With a strong background in digital marketing, SEO, and emerging AI technologies, David is passionate about practical tourism innovation and how tools such as ChatGPT can improve marketing, customer communication, efficiency, and online visibility while maintaining authenticity and personal connection